Amine-boranes consist of atoms of carbon, nitrogen, boron and hydrogen. To recover hydrogen from them, the scientists are using metal-organic catalysts containing platinum-group metals including palladium, ruthenium and platinum. Their high cost is the incentive for the search for cheaper alternatives, such as cobalt, ferrum and nickel.
Scientists from the A.N. Nesmeyan Institute of Organo-element Compounds and the National Research Center of France proposed their own alternative. They succeeded in recovering hydrogen from amine-boranes with the help of the complex based on magnesium and carbon oxide. The experiments showed that the new catalyst is 50 times more active than its analogues based on ferrum, cobalt and nickel, and also 8 times more active than the platinum metals compounds. At the same time, contrary to the majority of metal-organic catalysts, the new complex does not require additional activation with the help of ultra-violet.
The authors of the study reviewed all the details of the mechanism of recovering hydrogen in the process of reaction between the catalyst and amine-borane. It turned out that the active form of the catalyst consists of two magnesium-containing molecules produced from a single precursor molecule: one is positively charged, and the other one is neutral. These compounds simultaneously react with amine-borane eventually producing hydrogen.
“We believe that this method may be adapted for catalysts based on other metals. This will allow to use it for industrial processes of hydrogen production, synthesising medicine and carbon-dioxide conversion. When dealing with amine-boranes, our catalyst will contribute to development of hydrogen production and storage for the purposes of environmentally clean energy”, the Russian Science Foundation is citing Ekaterina Gulyaeva, one of the authors of the study.
The results of the study may make a significant contribution into resolving the issue of hydrogen transportation. One of the methods may be recovering hydrogen at the site of its further use. For example, specialists from EPRO Advance Technology company developed porous silicon-based material (Si+), which generates hydrogen upon contacting water. This material may be stored in plastic packs, and its use looks a lot like capsule method of making coffee.
